Hand operated cutting tools and shears have elongated lever handles that are pivotally connected to move a blade, having a knife edge, toward a jaw to cut wood branches and the like. A pivot bolt connects the arms together so that upon movement of the handles toward each other, a cutting action is achieved by relative movement of the knife and jaw. In some cutting tools, the jaws have concave shapes to cradle the branches in the jaws. The knives have convex shapes, which move toward the convex jaws to cut the objects cradled in the jaws. Considerable force must be applied to the handles of these tools to cut thick and tough wood and branches.